Leaving a Positive Impression on Your Interviewer

Leaving a Positive Impression on Your Interviewer

Your resume impressed them and now you have a job interview. What can you do to leave your potential employers with the best possible impression of you?

Arrive On Time:

One of the most important points of making a positive lasting impression is showing repsect to your potential future employer by arriving for an interview early and on time.

Arriving a bit early (ten minutes is a good guideline) also allows you time to focus and gather your thoughts.

If you aren't sure where the interview is or how long it takes to get there, do a "test run" a few days ahead of time. Remember to account for traffic, time to get ready, etc.

Arrive Prepared:

Would you want to give a job to someone who can't even be bothered to take the time to prepare for a job interview? Not likely. Make sure you know what the company does, how they function, what industries they are involved in, and what your job will be. Of course, some of the information about your potential new job may only be presented at the interview, but more than likely, most of it will be available from the job description. Make sure you have an answer to every requirement they have on the job description.

Be Confident:

You know you can do the job. Make sure they know. Showcase your skills in the best way you can by having faith in yourself. This isn't the time to downplay your achievements. Without being arrogant, illustrate your experience with things you've achieved at your past jobs. It's not enough to list your experience. Have examples ready that describe your workplace achievements.

By displaying confidence, you also avoid the trap of appearing desperate. Desperation is not a trait that leaves a positive impression on interviewers. They have a job that needs to be filled and they need to fill confident in choosing the right person for the job.

Give them a reason to pick you by being properly dressed, projecting a confident image, and being prepared.

Don't Speak Badly of a Past Employer:

There are nice ways to say things and there are some not so nice ways. You have no idea what sort of relationship your interviewer has with your past employer, if any. It's never a good idea to speak badly of a past employer because your potential employer does not want to hire someone who displays disloyal behaviour, regardless of what caused it. If you have to explain why you left a job, there are a variety of great reasons. Just make sure you are truthful. Don't lie and say you quit when you were indeed fired because these things can be easily verified. Instead, if you did quit your job, you can use phrases like "I wanted to seek out new opportunities," "I wanted a new challenge," because essentially, that's what you wanted.

Be Friendly but Professional:

Given the choice between hiring someone who is friendly or someone who appeared stiff and standoffish, a potential employer will most likely pick the friendly face. Leaving a good impression by being friendly, postive and happy will go a long way towards the interviewer remembering who you were. Don't overdo it though because being fake does not leave a good lasting impression. Be genuine and friendly.

Say Thank You:

After a job interview, send a thank you letter. Thank the person who conducted the interview and who arranged for the interview. Remember to mention that you would be a good match for the job and that your skills reflect what they are looking for (if they do, of course!) But remember, the point of a thank you letter is to thank them for their time. Make sure that's the main focus of the letter.

Leaving a positive impression with a potential employer is more than just attending an interview and answering questions. Being friendly, positive, arriving on time, and being prepared show your potential employer that you care, you are considerate, and you respect their time. And those things leave a positive lasting impression.

How to Follow-Up After a Job Interview

How to Follow-Up After a Job Interview

You've just had a great interview and you have your hopes set on getting this job. You know you should follow-up, but you don't know exactly what to do.

Here are some tips to help lead you in the right direction.

Get the Details:

Hopefully, during your interview, you remembered to ask what the time frame is for the hiring. This is a piece of helpful information that helps you follow-up more easily.

When you know approximately when they are expecting to make a decision, you can get a better idea of how long you should remain in contact with the interviewer. For example, if the company is expecting to make a decision by the end of the week and you had an interview on Monday, it's critical that you follow-up quickly. Their decision will be made fast, and it won't help you at all if you call the following week to reinterate what a great candidate you are.

Another detail you should get is the interviewer's name, title, and contact information. If you aren't provided with a business card, ask for one at the end of your interview. Failing that, ask the receptionist on your way out. You'll need this info when you put together a thank you letter.

The Thank You Letter:

Interviews are competitive and this is a great way to put your name in the forefront of your interviewer's mind. Sending a well-written note or letter is critical. These communications allow you, first and foremost, to thank the interviewer for seeing you. Make sure this is the main point of your letter. They also allow you to re-state why you're a good candidate and allow you to add some additional information about your skills that you might have forgotten to mention during the interview. You can also use the letter to clarify something that the interviewer asked you about.

Should you email, fax, or mail? It generally depends on a few things such as the type of company that you applied with. A more traditional, structured company should receive a mailed letter, whereas a more trendy, creative, easy-going company might be more geared towards receiving an email letter. It also depends on how you've been communicating with the company and the interviewer. If in doubt, go with the mailed or faxed letter. Make sure it's on nice, professional paper and absolutely free of errors. Make sure too that you have the correct spelling and address of the contact.

The letter should be sent within a day or two of the interview.

The Follow-up Call

If you haven't heard anything about the job after 7-10 days, you can follow-up with a phone call. Depending on the time frame in which they plan on hiring, you may have to adjust this to earlier or later.

When calling, use the opportunity to show your interest in the position, but don't be pushy. You want to show the interviewer that you're interested in the job, not that you're desperate. Be polite and professional.

Don't Give Up:

Now is not the time to stop the job search. You should continue with planned interviews and applying for new jobs. The worst case scenario is that you have to choose between two or more job offers!

Follow-up after a job interview is critical to ensure that you make a lasting, positive impression on your job interviewer. By following a few simple rules you can extend the positive interview and keep your candidature in the forefront of their mind.

Functional Resume

What is a Functional resume

The functional resume highlights key skills, accomplishments, and qualifications at the top of the resume, regardless of where they have occurred in your career. Your employment history is de-emphasized by placing it toward the bottom of your resume and by documenting a simple listing rather than details of each position. In this way, the functional resume firmly places the focus on what you have done rather than where or when you did it.

Unfortunately, many hiring authorities don't like this format, as it is generally believed that the functional resume is used to hide some deficiency in your career history. Despite this, the functional format can be very effective in certain situations.

The functional format can be very effective in the following situations.

1 Most of your achievements and accomplishments occurred in a past position.
2 You have recently graduated from high school or college.
3 You have been out of the job market for some time and are trying to re-enter.
4 You are an older worker and want to de-emphasize age.
5 You have held a variety of unconnected positions.
6 You are changing career tracks.
7 You are returning to a previous line of work.

Functional Resume

Functional Resume

The functional resume highlights key skills, accomplishments, and qualifications at the top of the resume, regardless of where they have occurred in your career. Your employment history is de-emphasized by placing it toward the bottom of your resume and by documenting a simple listing rather than details of each position. In this way, the functional resume firmly places the focus on what you have done rather than where or when you did it.
Unfortunately, many hiring authorities don't like this format, as it is generally believed that the functional resume is used to hide some deficiency in your career history. Despite this, 

The functional format can be very effective when:
* Most of your achievements and accomplishments occurred in a past position.
* You have recently graduated from high school or college.
* You have been out of the job market for some time and are trying to re-enter.
* You are an older worker and want to de-emphasize age.
* You have held a variety of unconnected positions.
* You are changing career tracks.
* You are returning to a previous line of work.

Chronological Resume

Chronological Resume

The chronological resume is designed to highlight progressive career growth and advancement. It is easy to read and can be quickly scanned for employment history. For these reasons, it is the most accepted format among hiring authorities. In fact, many even prefer and/or expect it.

The chronological resume is most suitable when:
* You have a steady and consistent employment history with no major gaps in employment and have not changed career tracks recently.
* Your employment history has been one of progressively responsible positions.
* Your titles have been impressive and/or you have been recently employed at well-known companies.
* Your major accomplishments have been achieved in your most recent positions.
* You are seeking a career in a field where this format is expected.

Resume is a Selling Tool

The resume is a selling tool so write a resume that outlines your skills and experiences briefly so an employer can quickly see how you can contribute to the specific workplace.
Write a resume that has one purpose: to get you a job interview, so consult with Houston Job Search to help you write a resume.
You write a good resume because while you may have all the requirements to fill a particular position, your resume is a failure if the prospective employer does not come to the conclusion that you are the perfect candidate. Write a good resume so that your resume ends up in the "consider file" NOT the "reject file" and this can take less than thirty seconds!

5 Resume Writing Tips

Tip 1 - Use Titles or Headings That Match The Jobs You Want
With employers receiving hundreds of resumes you must make sure that your resume hooks an employer's attention within a 5-second glance. A great way to do this is to use job titles and skill headings that relate to and match the jobs you want. For example, compare the headings Roger used in his before resume to the headings used in his after resume.

Tip 2 - Use Design That Grabs Attention
Employers make snap judgments when glancing at your resume. If they see unrelated job titles or skills the likelihood is very high that they will make an immediate assumption that you are not qualified for the job you want. Adding to this problem is the fact that employers don't have the time to read through each of your job descriptions to determine if you have the skills they need.
You Must Do That For Them! The design of your resume must highlight the most important information about your work experience, skills and education. At first glance this information forms the image that employers have of your skills and abilities.

Tip 3 - Create Content That Sells
Resume design should get attention but it's really the content of your resume, the descriptions you include of your skills and abilities, that determine how many interviews you generate--as well as the level of salary offers you receive. Compare the before and after statements from Roger's resume shown below:
Before Resume:Maintained records for accounts receivable and accounts payable accounts.

Tip 4 - Quantify and Use Power Words
As Roger's after statement demonstrates, using numbers to describe your achievements and responsibilities can greatly expand and elevate your image. Using numbers and quantifying creates vivid images in our mind when we read them, whereas general statements like the before examples are easy to skip over or forget. Typically the more specific you can be in describing your duties the better.
Another strategy that is extremely important in controlling the image that employers develop about you--is to use Power Words or verbs that match the level of position you want.
Power Words:Directed workflow, supervised and trained accounting staff performing posting to general ledger, accounts receivable and payable accounts.

Tip 5 - Analyze Ads and Job Descriptions to Identify Key Words
Learning how to analyze the key words that employers provide in help wanted ads and job descriptions is a key element in creating powerful resumes. For example, read the ad Roger found for an Accounts Receivable Manager below and see how many key words, phrases, or skill descriptions that it includes.
Accounts Receivable ManagerSeeking experienced A/R Manager to oversee accounts, manage billing and collections, train accounting and clerical staff, develop status reports for management and prepare monthly balance sheets. B.A. Degree or A.A. Degree with minimum of 2 years experience required.

5 Things to Do Before an Interview

5 Things to Do Before an Interview 

So you just found out that you have a job interview tomorrow and unfortunately procrastination is a weaknesses you haven’t yet conquered. Here are the down and dirty tips to pull it together at the last minute.

1. Look at the job posting you are applying for, and develop sound bites that address the needs of the employer. Think of examples where you demonstrated the skills that appear in the job posting and develop answers that clearly show an employer that you are the perfect candidate for this position. All sound bites should be 2-3 minutes in length.

2. Use the TODAY acronym to develop additional sound bites of your experiences. TODAY stands for Teamwork, Overcoming Obstacles, Duties of your past positions, Achievements, Your strengths and weaknesses. Remember to clearly describe exactly what you did in each situation. The employer is hiring you, not the other people in your story.

3. Research the company. Search the internet for any recent press releases and check out the company’s website. Know what they do, and develop some idea as to how the position you are hiring for fits within the company.

4. Think of questions to ask an interviewer. Look at the job posting and your research about the company and think of 3-5 questions you can ask during the interview. What are you curious about? Do they manufacture a product you are familiar with, or never even knew existed before you started to research the company? Where does this department fit in the grand scheme of the company? What projects is the department currently working on?

5. Lastly, prepare answers to the following questions: Tell me about yourself, Why did you leave your last position, or why are you looking for a new job, Why should I hire you, and The Salary Question. You know that these questions will be asked in one form or another, so there is no excuse to not have prepared an answer.

And that’s it. Interviewing is just that simple when it’s broken into it’s simplest components. Focus on preparing answers to all of the scenarios above, and you will be ahead of the game. Remember to clearly articulate in each and every sound bite exactly what you did. Practice with a tape recorder to critique yourself, or with a friend to repeat back to you exactly what you did in a situation to make sure you’re preparing correctly.

How to Answer the Hardest Interview Questions

How to Answer the Hardest Interview Questions

Job interviews can be intimidating. Interview anxiety is most commonly related to the fear that there might be difficult questions asked about one's career past, present, or future. The most effective way to overcome these feelings of intimidation is to prepare for what are commonly described as the hardest or most difficult interview questions.

Interview Questions About the Past
Interview questions about the past can be frightening for a job candidate when his or her employment history has been sparse or unpleasant. These uneasy feelings typically arise in situations where:
* The candidate's prior employment was terminated by the employer for poor performance.
* The candidate has had long gaps of unemployment.
* The candidate resigned from his or her prior position due to a bad relationship with his or her colleagues or boss.

The candidate was otherwise unsuccessful in his or her prior position.
Employers typically uncover these unsavory situations by asking one question: "Why did you leave your last job?" While it may be tempting to divulge every detail, it is important to note that doing so could negatively impact the hiring manager's decision. Job candidates should, instead, focus on answering this question by being truthful and maintaining a positive attitude. To answer this question truthfully, positively, and successfully, one must:
Never make negative comments about former companies or bosses.
Talk about the positive aspects of the job and the former supervisor’s strengths
Speak clearly about the prior position in context of its role as a stepping stone to greater opportunities.

Job Search Tips for the Interviewing Process

Job Search Tips for the Interviewing Process

Today’s job market is highly competitive, and for every posted vacancy, there are often hundreds of qualified applicants. Moreover, if an applicant is selected for an interview, it’s no guarantee he or she will be offered the job. On the other hand, there are steps jobseekers can take that will greatly increase the odds of their having a successful interview and, subsequently, receiving that offer.

Understand the Purpose of the Interview

According to Kenneth Zimmer, Professor Emeritus of the School of Business and Economics at California State University, and Sue C. Camp, Associate Professor of Business Administration at Gardner-Webb College, the goal of an interview is twofold. On one hand, it’s an opportunity for applicants to sell themselves, but on the other, it’s an opportunity for applicants to learn whether or not the job actually corresponds with their qualifications and career goals.

Research the Prospective Employer

In order to ensure a successful interview, applicants should know something in advance about a potential employer. This information will benefit them in two ways:
Help them decide whether or not they really care to work for the company.
Help them be prepared to respond without hesitation when asked why they want to work for that particular company.

Prepare Interview Questions in Advance

Invariably, applicants are asked if they have any questions, and it’s far better to respond with a few intelligent, well-thought-out questions than to ask pointless questions or have none at all. What types of questions should applicants ask? Here are a few suggestions:
What opportunities for advancement does the company offer?
What benefits does the company provide, for example, health insurance, sick leave, vacation time, retirement plan, stock options, etc?
Does the company provide training programs or reimburse employees for educational expenses?